Reflecting on 2008 and one of my passions

Reflecting...

2008 was a very fun, learning year. I was able to photograph numerous families...beautiful people...I've been so blessed by this. So today, I decided to post a few pictures from 2008. But quickly 5 turned into 10 and 10 into 15... here is a small "taste" of what I have been up to. Also, 2009 will bring a few changes to my photography hobby/business. I will post these changes soon. For those of you who have given me the opportunity to photograph your family in 2008, thank you.

Thankful Thursday

A new "home" for some of my rubber stamps!
My craft room...picked up

Our cabin in the snow

Willem having fun playing with his farm

Thankful Thursday... I am thankful that Monday was a snow day. I know, first day back to school after Christmas break and it's a snow day! But I wanted one more day at home with Merit! We stayed in our pjs all day, it was great. I walked down to our little cabin at one point, that walk with my two dogs in the deep snow was beautiful!

Tuesday I cleaned my craftroom. That room gets out of control...but when I finally have it organized (or at least somewhat) it feels so good. I am thankful I have a space like that.

Wednesday the snow started really melting and now I can't believe how it is almost all gone. If it improves Vance's work headaches, I am thankful! :)

Today Marie was so sweet to bring Merit to kindergarten, after visiting with us here -- so Will and I just relaxed here till almost 3 when it was time to pick Merit up. Willem had a fun "farm set up" going on. I am thankful for his imagination!! Merit and Willem talk about wanting to visit the John Deere store next time we visit Lynden, they are hoping to add to their farm toys.

Wide Open Spaces

We got a call from Bill Howell and Don Merrill asking if we would like to join the gang on Saturday for some snow fun. Everybody took their jeeps out, we had the chief and we had a blast enjoying the Stratford, Soap Lake area where Don and Linda live. This is an awesome part of the world, God's country and the group is so fun to hang out with! The cool old buildings pictured are on Don and Linda's property... and one of the best parts was that Vance had a true break from work~~

Fun Visit

The boys and the Wii.

Oh, it was soo good to see Natasha, Reese and Lane! We had lots of Wii fun, went bowling, stayed up late one night visiting and laughed a lot! Come back soon!

What We Have Been Up To

What we have been up to:
Sledding fun
Merit is totally geared up (thanks to Shelli's son JC)
Willem doesn't have snow boots and he is wearing his pajama pants on the photo below -time to get him the gear!
We enjoyed a wonderful visit from Natasha, Reese and Lane!
Sisters are a wonderful blessing
Vance's work is CRAZY
after several during the night phone calls from drivers that were running out of drive hours or had gotten "hung up" we all awoke half rested - feeling bad for all of the truck drivers forced to brave these conditions
at 9:30 this morning all three mountain passes were closed and there were a number of drivers stuck on the west side
We made a big ham yesterday and enjoyed it with Natasha's family
I can hardly wait for split pea and ham soup - I am making it tomorrow
We had a fun Wii tournament with Natasha and Reese! Lots of laughs
I am so thankful for the love and prayers shown by my friends and family!
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

my email: michelej@accima.com

Miss Positive throws herself a pity party

I am so looking forward to a visit from my sister Natasha, her husband Reese and their sweet son Lane. I have had a bit of a pity party for myself yesterday and today and believe a visit from their family will be of good cheer and lots of laughs.
First thing this morning I was really down in the dumps and tried to blog about it... but kept losing my internet connection... I think God was telling me that brutal honesty on a "public blog" can be dangerous. So maybe this entry won't be written in haste through tears, but just as a healthy journal entry.
I miss my mom, I miss being someone's daughter. My dad is intelligent, fun and a bit of a comedian. He is a friend to all five of us kids...finally. Many years with him have not been the easiest. It is a blessing to think that at this stage of our lives myself and my four siblings enjoy our dad's company and are glad to have him as a friend. For this I am thankful. The relationship with my dad is tricky. Because when my mom was living she was so approachable, so forgiving, easy to talk to, prayerful, loving, fun.... I really could go on and on. We always went to her. All five of us shared our joys, struggles, challenges and accomplishments with our mom. Our dad was working, our dad was busy, our dad was much less approachable. So, when we lost her it was like losing the involved parent, the parent who had invested so much in us and we in her.
All around me are fabulous relationships between mothers and their adult daughters. Most of the time this makes me happy. I encourage my friends to treasure their sweet, precious gift - their mother. But this week, I am envious, I am sad. I wish my grandma had her daughter. I wish my dad had his wife. I WISH my boys had my mom for a grandma. I wish my siblings had her here. I throw myself a pity party.
I have so much to be grateful for, don't get me wrong. And in general I am a very positive person. But rather than closing this entry with all the things I am thankful for and how great my life is, I will close it with one sentence - I miss my mom.

In flight

Beauty Surrounds Us

I truly love where we live. We are blessed with warm summers and sunshine galore and in the winter we get to enjoy this beautiful white stuff and cold temperatures making us appreciate the cozy indoors. We have four distinct seasons in Moses Lake and for this I am so grateful.
So although I am surrounded by beauty, I feel for all of these truck drivers battling these winter road conditions. The mountain passes, Snoqualmie, White and Stevens have been hit with some wild weather and the pass closures are really affecting the Milky Way drivers. Vance is very busy with work and the boys are really missing him...but we are often hit with these challenges this time of year and know that winter doesn't last forever.